Paul Prescott's Charge by Jr. Horatio Alger (best fiction novels to read TXT) ๐
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- Author: Jr. Horatio Alger
Read book online ยซPaul Prescott's Charge by Jr. Horatio Alger (best fiction novels to read TXT) ๐ยป. Author - Jr. Horatio Alger
โHan-nah!โ again called Squire Newcome, separating the two syllables by a pause of deliberation, and strongly accenting the last syllable,โa habit of his with all proper names.
Hannah was the Irish servant of all work, who was just then engaged in mixing up bread in the room adjoining, which was the kitchen.
Feeling a natural reluctance to appear before her employer with her hands covered with dough, she hastily washed them. All this, however, took time, and before she responded to the first summons, the second โHan-nah!โ delivered with a little sharp emphasis, had been uttered.
At length she appeared at the door of the sitting-room.
โHan-nah!โ said Squire Newcome, fixing his cold gray eye upon her, โwhen you hear my voice a calling you, it is your duty to answer the summons IMMEJIATELY.โ
I have endeavored to represent the Squire's pronunciation of the last word.
โSo I would have come IMMEJOUSLY,โ said Hannah, displaying a most reprehensible ignorance, โbut me hands were all covered with flour.โ
โThat makes no difference,โ interrupted the Squire. โFlour is an accidental circumstance.โ
โWhat's that?โ thought Hannah, opening her eyes in amazement.
โAnd should not be allowed to interpose an obstacle to an IMMEJIATE answer to my summons.โ
โSir,โ said Hannah, who guessed at the meaning though she did not understand the words, โyou wouldn't have me dirty the door-handle with me doughy hands?โ
โThat could easily be remedied by ablution.โ
โThere ain't any ablution in the house,โ said the mystified Hannah.
โI mean,โ Squire Newcome condescended to explain, โthe application of waterโin short, washing.โ
โShure,โ said Hannah, as light broke in upon her mind, โI never knew that was what they called it before.โ
โIs Ben-ja-min at home?โ
โYes, sir. He was out playin' in the yard a minute ago. I guess you can see him from the winder.โ
So saying she stepped forward, and looking out, all at once gave a shrill scream, and rushed from the room, leaving her employer in his bolt-upright attitude gazing after her with as much astonishment as he was capable of.
The cause of her sudden exit was revealed on looking out of the window.
Master Benjamin, or Ben, as he was called everywhere except in his own family, had got possession of the black kitten, and appeared to be submerging her in the hogshead of rainwater.
โO, you wicked, cruel boy, to drown poor Kitty!โ exclaimed the indignant Hannah, rushing into the yard and endeavoring to snatch her feline favoriteโan attempt which Ben stoutly resisted.
Doubtless the poor kitten would have fared badly between the two, had not the window opened, and the deliberate voice of his father, called out in tones which Ben saw fit to heed.
โWhat?โ
โCome into my presence immejiately, and learn to answer me with more respect.โ
Ben came in looking half defiant.
His father, whose perpendicularity made him look like a sitting grenadier, commenced the examination thus:โ
โI wish you to inform me what you was a doing of when I spoke to you.โ
It will be observed that the Squire's dignified utterances were sometimes a little at variance with the rule of the best modern grammarians.
โI was trying to prevent Hannah from taking the kitten,โ said Ben.
โWhat was you a doing of before Hannah went out?โ
โPlaying with Kitty.โ
โWhy were you standing near the hogshead, Benjamin?โ
โWhy,โ said Ben, ingenuously, โthe hogshead happened to be near meโthat was all.โ
โWere you not trying to drown the kitten?โ
โO, I wouldn't drown her for anything,โ said Ben with an injured expression, mentally adding, โshort of a three-cent piece.โ
โThen, to repeat my interrogatory, what was you a doing of with the kitten in the hogshead?โ
โI was teaching her to swim,โ said Ben, looking out of the corner of his eye at his father, to see what impression this explanation made upon him.
โAnd what advantageous result do you think would be brought about by teaching of the kitten to swim, Benjamin?โ persisted his father.
โAdvantageous result!โ repeated Ben, demurely, pretending not to understand.
โCertingly.โ
โWhat does that mean?โ
โDo you not study your dictionary at school, Benjamin?โ
โYes, but I don't like it much.โ
โYou are very much in error. You will never learn to employ your tongue with elegance and precision, unless you engage in this beneficial study.โ
โI can use my tongue well enough, without studying grammar,โ said Ben. He proceeded to illustrate the truth of this assertion by twisting his tongue about in a comical manner.
โTongue,โ exclaimed his father, โis but another name for language I mean your native language.โ
โOh!โ
Ben was about to leave the room to avoid further questions of an embarrassing nature, when his father interrupted his exit by sayingโ
โStay, Benjamin, do not withdraw till I have made all the inquiries which I intend.โ
The boy unwillingly returned.
โYou have not answered my question.โ
โI've forgotten what it was.โ
โWhat good would it do?โ asked the Squire, simplifying his speech to reach Ben's comprehension, โwhat good would it do to teach the kitten to swim?โ
โO, I thought,โ said Ben, hesitating, โthat some time or other she might happen to fall into the water, and might not be able to get out unless she knew how.โ
โI think,โ said his father with an unusual display of sagacity, โthat she will be in much greater hazard of drowning while learning to swim under your direction than by any other chance likely to befall her.โ
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